Clothesline tightening device



Dec. 3, 1957 1.. F. WOODS CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENING DEVICE Filed Sept. 24,1954 I2 F/ G. 3.

INVENTOR. .cssrse F. waaas,

United States Patem:

2,815,189 CLOTHESLENE TIGHTENlNG DEVICE Lester F. Woods, Roseburg, Oreg.Application September 24, 1954, Serial No. 458,067 3 Claims. (Cl.254161) The present invention relates to a clothesline tighteningdevice.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device fortightening clotheslines which are supported at least one end in a holein a cross bar or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of simpleand inexpensive construction for tightening clotheslines or ropes whichhave a free end projecting through a hole in a support and one which isheld on the outer side face of the support by the clothesline itself.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device ofsimple and inexpensive construction which is easily installed on theclothesline or rope and cross bar and may be readily removed forstorage, or for installa tion on another rope and cross bar.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a devicehaving an easily released lock for preventing the loosening of the ropeand one which does not require further tensioning of the rope in orderto release the device.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent upon consideration of the following description whentaken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in place uponthe outer side face of a cross bar;

Figure 2 is a vertical view in cross section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;and

Figure 3 is a further view in cross section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the present invention willbe seen to consist of an anchor member of cylindrical or tubular formand a coil spring 11, fitting snugly on the anchor member 10.

As seen most clearly in Figure 1, a clothesline or rope 12 extends atone end from a remote point of attachment through a hole 13 in a crossbar 14, or other suitable support which has its outer side face exposed.The rope 12 has one end secured in a hole 15 in the anchor member 10 andis Wound on the anchor member 10 for at least several turns.

The coil spring 11 is rotatable on the anchor member 10 and has one end16 projecting transversely to the longitudinal axis of the anchormember. The end 16 of the coil spring is bent back upon itself to form aU-shaped member having the bight portion 17 and an end portion 18projecting tangentially one each from each side of said anchor member 10and in face to face relation with respect to said cross bar 14.

The bight portion 17, where it projects from the one side of the anchormember, receives the rope Where it extends through the hole in the crossbar and the rope 12 restrains the longitudinal movement of the coilspring on the anchor member.

The other end 19 of the coil spring 11 projects outwardly and provides ameans by which the coil spring can be easily released from the anchormember so that the rope can be loosened.

In operation, a nail or other long instrument is inserted in the hole 20in the end of the anchor member 10 and the anchor member is rotatedWithin the coil spring until the rope 12 is tight. The tension of therope 12 tends to tighten the coil spring on the anchor member. Pressureof a finger to unwrap the coils, or in the same direc;

tion as the rope is wound, on the other end 19 of the anchor member willrelease the tension of the coils and the anchor member and loosen therope.

While only a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been hereillustrated and described, other embodiments are contemplated Within thescope of the appended claims and many changes and modifications in thepresent invention may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rope attaching device including a cross bar and an anchor memberpositioned on the outer side face of said cross bar, the improvementconsisting in a tightening device operatively connected to said anchormember and to said cross bar comprising a coil spring Wound on saidanchor member and having one end projecting transversely to thelongitudinal axis thereof and being bent back upon itself to form aU-shaped member having its bight portion and its end portion projectingtangentially one each from each side of said anchor member and in faceto face relation with respect to said cross bar, means on said anchormember for receiving a tool to rotate said anchor member with respect tosaid coil member in a rope-tightening direction, said coil spring beingoperative to releasably restrain rotation of said anchor member in arope-loosening direction, and means on said coil spring operable torelease said anchor member for rotation in a rope-loosening direction.

2. In a rope attaching device including a cross bar and an anchor memberpositioned on the outer side face of said cross bar, the improvementconsisting in a tightening device operatively connected to said anchormember and to said cross bar comprising a coil spring Wound on saidanchor member and having one end projecting transversely to thelongitudinal axis thereof and being bent back upon itself to form aU-shaped member having its bight portion and its end portion projectingtangentially one each from each side of said anchor member and in faceto face relation with respect to said cross bar, means on said anchormember for receiving a tool to rotate said anchor member with respect tosaid coil member in a rope-tightening direction, said coil spring beingoperative to releasably restrain rotation of said anchor member in arope-loosening direction, and means on said coil spring operable torelease said anchor member for rotation in a rope-loosening direction.

3. In a rope attaching device including a cross bar and an anchor memberpositioned on the outer side face of said cross bar, the improvementconsisting in a tightening device operatively connected to said anchormember into said cross bar comprising a coil spring wound on said anchormember and having one end projecting trans versely to the longitudinalaxis thereof and being bent back upon itself to form a U-shaped memberhaving its bight portion and its end portion projecting tangentially oneeach from each side of said anchor member and in face to face relationwith respect to said cross bar, means on said anchor member forreceiving a tool to rotate said anchor member with respect to said coilmember in a rope-tightening direction, said coil spring being operativeto releasably restrain rotation of said anchor member in arope-loosening direction, said coil spring being formed at its other endwith an outwardly projecting portion forming a means operable to releasesaid anchor member for rotation in a rope-loosening direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

